Penalty Fee (2)
[Lord Wayne, why are you here... did you come yourself?]
Rakins's voice trembled.
At that moment, Wayne's cold voice flowed out.
[To see a comrade from the Sailon battle treated like this—I'm disappointed too!]
Cromaid slowly drew the Queen Sword from its back.
[S-Surely you're not thinking of turning against Kallung?]
[What are you talking about? You're the ones who picked the fight first...]
Rakins swallowed dryly.
[Even so, fighting the grand territory isn't a wise choice! Please reconsider.]
[Is that so?]
Wayne's sneer seemed to echo in the air.
Rakins was a 13-year veteran squad leader. True to his experience as a seasoned Gigant pilot, he'd been scanning the surroundings since moments ago.
Fortunately, no other enemies in sight!
But Wayne was an elite upper-class pilot who had single-handedly taken down three 2nd-class Magic Knights with his 2nd-class Gigant. And the Gigant before them now was a hulking 9 meters tall! It looked even stronger than the Predator Wayne had piloted before.
Beside it loomed an 11-meter gray golem whose pilot was unknown.
They had two 2nd-class Gigants and eleven 3rd-class ones, but victory wasn't guaranteed.
'I'll hold them off while sending the Grunt squad to Quatermain City to link up with the others...'
His thoughts were just starting to solidify.
[Rakins, I know what you're thinking, but it won't be that easy!]
Wayne raised his hand.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Forty Steel Golems encircled the base.
'Damn it!'
Rakins bit his lip. He'd fought alongside Steel Golems before and knew their capabilities well. They were at least equivalent to 3rd-class Gigants.
Which meant their escape route was cut off!
[Grunt squad leader! I'll take the big Gigant up front. You handle that gray golem, and the rest of the squad deals with the surrounding golems!]
[Yes, sir! You heard him—form up for battle!]
[Form up for battle!]
The Kallung territory Gigants shifted into attack formation.
Wayne chuckled at the sight.
[Of course. If you can't run, you fight. But your opponents are just me and this golem right in front of you! Beat us, and I'll let everyone go.]
[Everyone, be careful! Don't let that Gigant's sword touch your frames!]
Rakins shouted loudly. He'd seen it happen back at the Sailon occupation zone, so this was his warning.
[Come on! No time to waste—rush them all at once!]
Cromaid beckoned with a finger.
[You mad bastard! You've got a decent Gigant, but you're underestimating us! Attack! Subdue the enemy!]
The Grunt squad leader bellowed.
[Yaaah!]
[There are only two of them! Overwhelm them together!]
The Grunts and their squad members charged first. Rakins had no choice but to move his own 2nd-class Gigant.
Watching the approaching Gigants, Wayne unleashed his Odd across his entire body, enveloping the 9-meter Cromaid.
'Alright! Let's see how Cromaid holds up in real combat.'
Vreeeeem!
Rumble rumble boom!
With a roar, Cromaid surged forward.
[Die!]
[Charge!]
Three 3rd-class Gigants barreled toward Wayne!
Judging by their speed, they had no intention of stopping even if sliced.
Wayne showed no sign of slowing either, raising his sword as he charged.
Then Wayne's Gigant leaped high.
Vwooom!
Boom!
As the sword slammed into the ground, a massive explosion erupted, flames and thick black smoke billowing up.
That was when the three charging Gigants halted in shock.
[Gasp! What the—?]
[I can't see ahead!]
Whoosh!
Crackle crackle zap!
[Argh!]
[Grahhh!]
[D-Damn it!]
The sword grazed the Gigants' blades, unleashing electricity in sequence. Smoke poured from all three.
Cromaid shoved the shuddering Gigants aside and pressed forward.
Bam bam boom!
In an instant, it neutralized all three.
Then the Steel Golems from behind dragged the fallen Gigants away.
[What was that attack?]
The Grunt squad leader raised his sword, staring in astonishment at the oncoming Cromaid.
[Snap out of it!]
Rakins's 2nd-class Gigant blocked his path.
[Grunt! We'll hit it together!]
[Got it!]
The two 2nd-class Gigants lunged at Cromaid.
And then.
[Graaaah! Who dares incur the king's wrath?!]
The gray golem fearlessly charged at the 3rd-class Gigants.
[It's big, but no weapons! Just smash it!]
[Let's go!]
Clang!
Clang clang!
[What? It's blocking with bare hands?]
Salamander caught the two Gigants' swords in its palms, then gripped tight.
And then!
Whoosh flame roar!
Fierce flames erupted from its clenched fists.
[What is this?]
[Th-The swords are melting!]
The flame golem Salamander kicked toward the startled Gigant.
Whoosh!
Boom!
The massive foot sent the Gigant flying helplessly to crash on the ground. Its chest armor ripped off in one blow, its belly caved in, and the pilot was out cold, not stirring.
The remaining one didn't fare better. A flaming fist smashed its shoulder, tearing off the armor. The sword arm dislocated from the frame, dangling uselessly.
But the flame golem didn't stop—it ripped the Gigant's arm clean off.
[Insane! It tore off a Gigant's arm with raw strength!]
Overwhelmed by the sheer power, the other 3rd-class Gigants hesitated to approach.
Meanwhile, the two 2nd-class Gigants were relentlessly pushing back Wayne's Cromaid.
[Lord Wayne! Are you going easy on us right now?]
Rakins yelled.
The Wayne he knew wasn't this level of skill.
[Ridiculous! My goal isn't to beat you—it's to capture you with minimal damage!]
[What?]
[Broken ones don't fetch as good a price!]
Crack!
'Ugh!'
In that instant, Grunt felt immense pressure on his wrist. His Gigant was caught in Cromaid's right hand.
[One down!]
Zap zap zap!
[Ggggrrrraaah!]
Thud!
Electrocuted, the Gigant dropped to one knee!
Grunt didn't pass out, shaking his head to regain his senses.
But Cromaid swung its open palm toward the Gigant's face.
Vwoom!
Smack!
The 2nd-class Gigant crumpled from the slap, its head slamming into the ground.
Boom!
The impact kept Grunt unconscious.
Cromaid kicked it with its right foot, sending the heavy Gigant tumbling 5 meters. Nearby Steel Golems swarmed in and dragged the 2nd-class away, just as expected.
'Damn, too strong! We can't match it!'
Rakins shook his head. The skill gap was too wide. Even five 2nd-class Gigants charging together might not win.
And the 3rd-class ones were falling one by one to the flame golem—only four left.
[Where the hell did you get that monster golem?]
[Doesn't matter. So, you wanna keep going?]
[You know me better than that.]
Rakins's Gigant aimed its sword.
[Yeah, you're not the type to quit here.]
Wayne respected him enough to fight seriously.
Rakins charged, and Wayne raised his sword to meet him.
The two Gigants swung at each other mid-field.
Vwoom!
Swish!
Clang!
Rakins's blade snapped and flew off, embedding in the ground.
[Strong means fast too!]
They'd swung simultaneously, but Cromaid's right arm—operating at 100%—was quicker, and the Queen Sword was superior, shattering Rakins's weapon.
The Queen Sword pointed at the Gigant's throat.
Click!
[Still want more?]
[No. I surrender.]
Rakins opened his Gigant's hatch. He hung his head, unable to meet Wayne's gaze.
Seeing his dejected expression, Wayne felt a pang of bitterness too.
'If only we were on the same side...'
Once, they'd guarded each other's backs on the front lines. Now, they were enemies.
Clang! Clink!
The remaining 3rd-class Gigants dropped their swords and surrendered.
The overwhelming power gap—and fighting fellow imperial Gigants—meant no need to risk lives pointlessly.
Wayne had captured two squad leaders and eleven pilots alive, seizing two 2nd-class Gigants and seven 3rd-class ones intact.
Regrettably, the four 3rd-class Gigants smashed by the flame golem were badly damaged, needing major repairs.
'Controlling Salamander while piloting a Gigant isn't easy.'
He had to split his Odd between the Gigant and the flame golem. For electric attacks or flame bursts needing Odd acceleration, he couldn't focus properly.
But he had to master it. That would boost his chances against any potential 1st-class Gigant.
[Everyone, drag them back!]
Perhaps because his past life had been one of having nothing, Wayne showed no mercy to those who tried to take what was his.
[Wier City]
Wier was the central city serving as the capital of Kallung Grand Territory.
And at its heart stood Wier Castle, the lord's residence.
Right now, Wier Castle was as tense as thin ice.
Bang!
The room fell silent at the sound of the desk being slammed.
Corinth Duke II couldn't believe his ears.
"This makes no sense! Either my ears are failing, or you lot reported wrong. Say it again!">
Holber Count, who had just delivered the report, swallowed dryly.
"Well... the two garrisons in the southern territory have vanished entirely—Gigant squads included. Three 2nd-class Gigants and twenty-one 3rd-class ones."
"So two entire armored squads gone overnight...">
In other words, the south of his territory had been stripped bare.
Corinth Duke's anger had leaped straight past fury into sheer absurdity.
He took a deep breath and asked again.
"Phew! In my own territory, no less—is that even possible?"
"The escaped soldiers say over forty Steel Golems. And a 9-meter Gigant..."
"Using golems? Then it has to be that Wayne Stein from the Sailon battle."
"Yes."
Corinth Duke fell into thought.
"Did Marquis Frank Stein make a move?"
"Doesn't seem so. As you know, most of Dresden's forces are tied up in Estel Kingdom right now."
"So the Dresden marquis's youngest son alone kidnapped all our territory's Gigants."
"That's what it looks like."
Corinth Duke seemed to be desperately trying to process the situation.
"The previous report said ten Steel Golems, right?"
"Yes, definitely three months ago. But now the number's quadrupled out of nowhere."
"Where did those dwarves and golems pop up from? And why are they helping Wayne?"
"We still lack intel on that."
"Ha! And all the refugees vanished too? You expect me to believe that? Not a hundred or a thousand—twenty thousand people! How do twenty thousand just disappear without a trace? Answer me!"
No one dared speak.
"How are my subordinates this incompetent?!"
"We don't know how Wayne took the refugees, but he's definitely heading to that barren wasteland city. Attack his city, and we'll recover the Gigants and refugees both."
It was Viscount Erwin Tokin's suggestion.
Corinth Duke clutched his forehead in his palm.
"The nerve! Making a fool of me in my own territory."